Light to Night 2026: Longest and largest rendition of festival celebrates diverse communities

Key Concepts

• Light Tonight Festival: A 10-year-old light art festival in Singapore.
• Orang Laut: Singapore’s indigenous maritime community.
• Collective Making: The festival’s core philosophy emphasizing the power of community and shared creation.
• Power in Us: The festival’s theme for this year, highlighting collective strength and cultural shaping.
• Peranakan Culture: The unique culture of Straits-born Chinese, influencing one of the art installations.

Celebrating a Decade: The Light Tonight Festival Expands

The Light Tonight Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary with its largest and longest edition to date, running for four weeks until the end of January. A significant development for this year is the festival’s expansion beyond the traditional Civic District, now including installations in nearby malls through corporate collaborations. This expansion aims to broaden accessibility and reach a wider audience.

Indigenous Representation: The Orang Laut Take Center Stage

For the first time, the festival prominently features works by Singapore’s indigenous group, the Orang Laut. One key artwork, created by members of the community, utilizes materials historically used in traditional hut construction. This piece serves not only as an artistic expression but also as a reclamation of historical knowledge, craft, and core values like community. A representative from the Orang Laut emphasized the importance of platforms like Light Tonight, stating, “This is our time to really look into telling our own stories also you know rewriting them in a way that how we perceive it as important.” They highlighted that the Orang Laut have often been relegated to academic research, and this festival provides an opportunity for self-representation.

The Philosophy of Collective Making & "Power in Us"

The festival’s organizers reiterated the foundational purpose of Light Tonight: to bring people together. As stated by a festival representative, “We really want to go back to why Light Tonight exists… and that is to bring people together… going back to the idea of collective making, how power exists in us coming together and how that can contributes towards connections especially when we engage and experience art together.” This philosophy is embodied in the festival’s theme, “Power in Us,” which underscores the idea that collective strength and effort are fundamental to shaping culture.

Interactive Art & Diverse Community Engagement

Beyond the Orang Laut’s contribution, the festival showcases works from diverse communities including artists with disabilities, migrant workers, faith organizations, and cultural producers. A notable installation inspired by the local Peranakan community features a butic design (referring to the intricate floral motifs characteristic of Peranakan art) and interactive elements. Visitors are encouraged to move tables and chairs to create their own visual compositions, effectively becoming “co-artists” themselves. This interactive approach reinforces the theme of collective creation and the power of shared experience.

Expansion & Enhanced Offerings

The festival’s expansion into malls is facilitated by collaborations with corporate firms, demonstrating a shift towards broader partnerships. In addition to the light art installations, the festival will also feature musical performances and an expanded range of food and beverage options, aiming to create a more comprehensive and engaging experience for attendees.